This disclosure relates to fabrication of photovoltaic solar cells.
Monolithic solar cell fabrication processes includes layering solar cell materials with an absorber material between front and back contacts and forming line patterns in the solar cell materials to isolate and connect the solar cells. The first line pattern (P1) is formed through the back contact material. The second line pattern (P2) is formed through the absorber material (and in some embodiments a buffer layer). The third line pattern (P3) is formed through the front contact and absorber materials (and the buffer layer, if present). However, patterning of the P1, P2 and P3 lines can damage and introduce impurities into the solar cell layers.
Such damage from patterning processes is a factor affecting solar cell performance. Due to the growing demand for clean sources of energy, various types of solar cell devices, tools and processes exist and continue to be developed in efforts to improve the performance of solar cells.